M4.9 Earthquake 46 km NE of Calama, Chile — July 21, 2020
2020-07-21 18:02:00 UTC (2020-07-21) · approx. 1:02 PM UTC-5 local
On July 21, 2020 at 18:02 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 intermediate depth earthquake struck 46 km NE of Calama, Chile, at a depth of 121.7 km and coordinates -22.1976°, -68.5687°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Chile, a region characterized by the Peru-Chile Trench, where the Nazca Plate subducts beneath South America at 65-80 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Chile.
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Earthquake Details
-68.5687°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Calama, Chile?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 46 km NE of Calama, Chile on July 21, 2020 at 18:02 UTC had a depth of 121.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -22.1976°, -68.5687°, which is 46 km NE of Calama, Chile. View all earthquakes in Chile.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Chile had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Chile was the M9.5 Great Chilean earthquake of May 22, 1960. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000asin). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 21, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 46 km NE of Calama, Chile — July 21, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000asin/